"Paul Addis, 35, of San Francisco, was booked into the Pershing County Jail in Nevada on the arson charge and misdemeanor possession of fireworks, Sheriff Ron Skinner said. Festival organizers, meanwhile, pondered the smoldering remains of the Man and promised to rebuild the big guy in time for Saturday's regularly scheduled burn in the Black Rock Desert north of Reno."

40,000 are expected this weekend but some arrived early, according to the paper, to view last night's lunar eclipse. The annual burning of the sculpture is viewed as a symbolic cathartic event meant to represent the self-expression and art that are the festival's hallmark.

Said one volunteer to the Chronicle: "Someone went to a great extent to interfere with everyone else's burn. I think, frankly, an attention whore has made a plea for attention. In three days, we will have this rebuilt."

Comments

Apparently this guy (Paul Addis) has had it out for Burning Man for years...

http://www.sfweekly.com/2002-09-11/news/letters-to-the-editor

Posted by: Andrew | Aug 28, 2007 4:44:48 PM

I've been to Burning Man 7 or 8 times (I can't remember). The first few times were totally freewheeling, anti-establishment, take-no-prisoners fun. Someone actually set a bomb off near my camp once. And while it might sound scary, it was actually thrilling. But the last few years Burning Man became part of the establishment. I swear the last few years I thought the burning of the man must have been choreographed by Disney. So all I have to say about this arsonist setting the man on fire is "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!".

and all I have to say about this is 'Ha!

Posted by: peterparker | Aug 28, 2007 5:04:37 PM

oops...editing is important, huh?

Posted by: peterparker | Aug 28, 2007 5:05:46 PM

how do you tell the "attention whore arsonist" from the rest of the attention whores walking nude around the desert with body paint on their winkies?

Posted by: s. W. | Aug 28, 2007 5:48:04 PM

I know that guy, Paul Addis, and it's just the kind of stunt he'd pull!

A anarchist convention undone by anarchy! Well, well.... Odd that he would get arrested, they are on land that has only Native and Federal jurisdiction.

Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Aug 28, 2007 11:16:02 PM

ANON...actually, Burning Man is policed by the Washoe County Sheriff's Department, the Pershing County Sheriff's Department and the Nevada State Troopers. And yes, there are plainclothes officers there.

Posted by: peterparker | Aug 29, 2007 1:09:36 AM

It speaks volumes that there are only six comments about this post --- and one of them redundant! Burning man is irrelevant and so yesterday --- a puerile collection of over-age juveniles, mostly straight, unoriginal, all acting out. They should leave the desert alone and get on with their lives. Boring!!

Posted by: Richard | Aug 29, 2007 1:13:05 AM

Oh come on! Even the participants of Burning Man know that there is something hilarious about Burning Man being taken down by an arsonist No, he shouldn't have done it. Yes, he should have been arrested. But let's face it: the headline is hilarious!

The Burning Man festival was over many years before this. Before the corporate types, frat boys, and cops were the mainstay, Burning Man was a good, dangerous place to be. As a member of the group that took the first amplified music to Burning Man in 1992, I remember numerous people tried to sabotage our generator, speakers, and threatened the DJ with a flamethrower. Sabotage is nothing new at Burning Man, it’s just evolved into the ultimate karmic kick to a group (Cacophony Society) that once celebrated and relished life’s irony. Aloha from Hawaii and to Paul I say as Hunter Thompson would have said, “Mahalo.”

Posted by: kraig | Aug 29, 2007 4:11:19 AM

The Burning Man festival was over many years before this. Before the corporate types, frat boys, and cops were the mainstay, Burning Man was a good, dangerous place to be. As a member of the group that took the first amplified music to Burning Man in 1992, I remember numerous people tried to sabotage our generator, speakers, and threatened the DJ with a flamethrower. Sabotage is nothing new at Burning Man, it’s just evolved into the ultimate karmic kick to a group (Cacophony Society) that once celebrated and relished life’s irony. Aloha from Hawaii and to Paul I say as Hunter Thompson would have said, “Mahalo.”

Posted by: kraig | Aug 29, 2007 4:13:57 AM

Well today is the one-year anniversary for the sudden death of DJ and music producer Adam Goldstone (Superstars of Rock, Tiny Trendies, etc), my dear friend at Burning Man (he had a heart condition since birth). Many of our friends are there today and I for one do not think this will dampen their celebration of his life.

I'm wearing one of his famous ascots and sending tons of love to everyone that is there.

One of the Druids’ great feasts was the spring festival, celebrated the same night as the Easter Vigil. The day before the feast, people all over the land were ordered to put out their fires. No fire could be lit until the sacred fire blazed up on the Hill of Tara, where all the pagan leaders met to honor their gods.

Patrick had heard the order, but that evening, as soon as it was dark enough, and before the Druids could light their fires, Patrick and his companions began the great Easter Vigil celebration. They had gathered on the Hill of Slane, directly opposite the Hill of Tara. Patrick knew that the Druids would be angry when they saw the Easter fire. He was right! When the Druids saw the fire, they told their king, “Unless we put out that fire at once, this very night, it will blaze forever in this land.” The pagans rushed toward Patrick’s Easter fire and tried to put it out and to kill Patrick. But nothing they did could extinguish the flame, and Patrick was kept from harm.

One of the Druids’ great feasts was the spring festival, celebrated the same night as the Easter Vigil. The day before the feast, people all over the land were ordered to put out their fires. No fire could be lit until the sacred fire blazed up on the Hill of Tara, where all the pagan leaders met to honor their gods.

Patrick had heard the order, but that evening, as soon as it was dark enough, and before the Druids could light their fires, Patrick and his companions began the great Easter Vigil celebration. They had gathered on the Hill of Slane, directly opposite the Hill of Tara. Patrick knew that the Druids would be angry when they saw the Easter fire. He was right! When the Druids saw the fire, they told their king, “Unless we put out that fire at once, this very night, it will blaze forever in this land.” The pagans rushed toward Patrick’s Easter fire and tried to put it out and to kill Patrick. But nothing they did could extinguish the flame, and Patrick was kept from harm.

Posted by: Tad Overvue | Aug 29, 2007 12:28:14 PM

this was my very first burn I was driving while the lunar eclipse was happening, I didn't notice the man was gone cause I had no expectations.

which seems to me to be what burning man is all about. I did see a sign though. . .

"burning the man early was so much better last year. . ."

the double rainbow after the 20 minute 75 mile per hour dust storm was awesome too!

Posted by: JAI | Sep 20, 2007 2:23:40 AM

There needs to be more security for the man. This was horrible. You all laugh, but I've never been fortunate enough to go to this festival but I read about it every year. I only wish that I've seen all the pictures of everything this amazing event has to offer. I totally get that some people think this party is over, but I pray to high heavens it's not. From what I've seen and heard, this party is not of this world. I only wish that it maintains it's amazing strangeness and that it's only getting started. I know I'm late, but next year I really want to go. I can't die before I see this amazing event. You're all blessed to be able to see this. I'm coming with free tents, water, bread, extension cords, music and a place to pee. I can't wait to meet all of you. And damn that bitch for burning the man too early. It's murder! But I forgive him/her.